iqu15
June 25, 2007, 09:58 PM
At present, I guess our batsman would prefer to climb the Himalaya in the winter rather than playing Murali. Murali is always a big threat for any batsman in the world. You must have some specific plan to play Murali otherwise he will send you to the dressing room at no time.
It seems to me Murali is desperate to improve his record against Bangladesh!!! He is definitely taking his chance to get past Warne in this series. In the first innings, he spent only 7.5 overs to pick up only!! 5 wickets. It was also quite easy for him since the tail was open for him by grace our poor top order batsman.
Our team management was screaming about their very good training period before tour started. I don’t think so they had any specific planning playing the biggest threat Murali. You can not stay long in the crease if you don’t have any plan how to play Murali especially middle order/tail order batsman.
I have so many words to say but lack of time I can not share with you guys. Murali is really a champion off spinner. I also like Saqlain Mustaq but very sad he kept himself away from cricket. It is very difficult to play Murali not only just because of big turns but also his variations in flight, drift, length and pace. Another most important skill of Murali, he can read the batsman very quickly. Now he is more deadly dangerous as he mastered the doosra last 2/3 years.
From my of view, what I have seen about Murali and how the great players like Lara, Sachin played him, the first thing you have to look at the grips or delivery pattern of Murali to differentiate the normal off spin and doosra. It will eliminate 50% of your problem to play him. If you don’t do that, you will be always in dilemma how it will turn. The next strategy should be don’t let him turn the ball. I mean don’t play in the back foot unless it is too short. If you step little forward at the time of his delivery and find the in normal good length, just forward a bit more to reach the ball before it bounces. Murali will pick your this strategy very quickly and then he may drop it short of good length. In this case you can sweep him, again before it bounces or turns. You have work on it for perfection playing sweep shots. The advantage of stepping a bit forward just at the moment of his delivery will give you flexibility play forward or sweep. It is also advantageous to rock back to cut/pull if length is too short. If the length is too short and if you go back, the turn (offspin/doosra) he may produce will not a big threat as you will have ample time to adjust yourself even you foxed by the doosra.
But certainly our batsman should have specific plan in mind to play Murali and practise it very hard accordingly. Good batsman playing Murali now-a-days they focused on his delivery action to identify how it will turn.
It seems to me Murali is desperate to improve his record against Bangladesh!!! He is definitely taking his chance to get past Warne in this series. In the first innings, he spent only 7.5 overs to pick up only!! 5 wickets. It was also quite easy for him since the tail was open for him by grace our poor top order batsman.
Our team management was screaming about their very good training period before tour started. I don’t think so they had any specific planning playing the biggest threat Murali. You can not stay long in the crease if you don’t have any plan how to play Murali especially middle order/tail order batsman.
I have so many words to say but lack of time I can not share with you guys. Murali is really a champion off spinner. I also like Saqlain Mustaq but very sad he kept himself away from cricket. It is very difficult to play Murali not only just because of big turns but also his variations in flight, drift, length and pace. Another most important skill of Murali, he can read the batsman very quickly. Now he is more deadly dangerous as he mastered the doosra last 2/3 years.
From my of view, what I have seen about Murali and how the great players like Lara, Sachin played him, the first thing you have to look at the grips or delivery pattern of Murali to differentiate the normal off spin and doosra. It will eliminate 50% of your problem to play him. If you don’t do that, you will be always in dilemma how it will turn. The next strategy should be don’t let him turn the ball. I mean don’t play in the back foot unless it is too short. If you step little forward at the time of his delivery and find the in normal good length, just forward a bit more to reach the ball before it bounces. Murali will pick your this strategy very quickly and then he may drop it short of good length. In this case you can sweep him, again before it bounces or turns. You have work on it for perfection playing sweep shots. The advantage of stepping a bit forward just at the moment of his delivery will give you flexibility play forward or sweep. It is also advantageous to rock back to cut/pull if length is too short. If the length is too short and if you go back, the turn (offspin/doosra) he may produce will not a big threat as you will have ample time to adjust yourself even you foxed by the doosra.
But certainly our batsman should have specific plan in mind to play Murali and practise it very hard accordingly. Good batsman playing Murali now-a-days they focused on his delivery action to identify how it will turn.